Headgear



Patented Dec. 2, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEADGEAB Edward Cairns, Montclair, N. J. Application September 26, 1944, Serial No. 555,777

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to headgear and more especially to protective helmets of the type worn by firemen, soldiers and -industrial workers. Such a helmet is made up of suillciently rigid material to protect the head of its wearer against heavy blows and because of its construction it is undesirable to make the helmet directly fit the wearers head. Also, for production purposes, it is desirable to make the helmets of uniform size without respect to the particular head-size of the wearer.

An object of this invention is a protective helmet equipped with means for supporting the helmet from the wearers head out of contact with the head and of such nature that the helmet may be readily adapted to different head-sizes.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for easily removing and replacing the complete lining assembly for cleaning or renewal.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Flg. 1 is a longitudinal section through a protective helmet embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line I--3 o! Fig. 4, and

Fig. 4 is a section on the linc 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The helmet consists of a rigid body portion or crown I having an integral rim II. The helmet is composed of any suitable material having the required degree of rigidity. Within the helmet and near the intersection of the body and rim portions there are provided several resilient members I2. in this case six such members, each of which comprises a thin strip of metal orother suitable material rigidly fastened to the helmet at one end by a rivet I3. Each member I2 extends inwardly and upwardly into the interior of the body portion and near its inner end is bent downwardly to provide a substantially vertical portion I4 and its extreme end is formed to provide an outwardly directed hook I5. The arrangement just described provides a series of spring clips substantially equally spaced from each other around the Interior of the body of the helmet.

An endless band i6 comprises part of a cradle for the helmet and is formed from suitable resilient material. either metal or plastic. This band is provided with several slots Il, the number of the slots being the same as the number of the spring clips I2 and each slot is of greater length than the width of a spring clip. The band I6 is supported by the hooks I of the spring clips I2, these hooks forming seats for the band and pass- 2 ing through the slots I 1 from the interior of the band to the exterior thereof. The portion I4 is long enough and there is sufficient spacing between the end of the hook I5 and the main portion of the spring clip I2 to permit passage of each hook I5 through a slot I1 merely by pressing the upper edge of the band IB into the angle of the clip I2 to bring the hooks into register with the slots whereupon the hooks spring through the slots. The band I6 and the clips I2 are sufllclently resilient to permit easy manipulation thereof to assemble the band with the clips. Also, attachment of the band I6 to the spring clips I2 is facilitated by the fact that the slots I'I are of greater length than the width of the spring clips I2. Any shock caused by a falling object striking `the crown I0 tends to force the band I6 into the angles of the clips with no strain coming on the hooks I5.

Bands IB of different headsizes may be used in conjunction with the spring clips I2. With the larger size bands the spring clips I2 will assume a more nearly vertical position than with the smaller size head-bands but will readily adapt their position to the particular size band assembled with the helmet. Also, irrespective of the size of the head-band, the helmet will be slightly spaced from the wearers head. The hooks I5 serve to retain the band I6 in assembled relation with the spring clips I2 and prevents accidental disengagement of the band from the clips. However, the band may be removed from the clips merely by lifting the tips of the clips until they are released from the slot. AThis arrangement facilitates cleaning or renewal of the band.

A lining I8 of felt or other suitable material and shaped to conform substantially to the head of the wearer has one edge attached to the exterior of the band I6 at I9 and passes around the under edge of the band. A narrow annular strip 20 of suitable elastic cushioning material, such, for example, as sponge rubber is stitched to the outer surface of the liner I8 at 2| and has its outer periphery engaging the inner surface cf the band I6. The strip 20 tightly wedges the lining onto the head of the wearer, thus effectually preventing accidental displacement or removal o.' the helmet from the wearers head. A draw string 22 is provided in the top edge of the lining I8. The lining I8. together with the band I6. constitutes a cradle by which the helmet is supported on the wearers head. The lining may be easily and quickly removed for renewal or cleaning merely by disconnecting the band I 6 from the clips I2 as previously described.

I claim: sagement with the band when the latter is placed A headgear comprising a rigid hollow body, a in the angles oi the clips and pressed upwardly. plurality of spring clips within the body. each EDWARD CAIRNS. spring clip comprising a strip member bent intermediate of its ends into inverted V-shape iorm- 5 REFERENCES CITED m8 an 511818 at the top and providing Straight The following references are oi record in the inner and outer portions, the outer portion being me of this patent: secured at the lower end to said body and extend- I ing upwardly and inwardly at an inclination and UNITED STATES PATENTS the inner portion depending vertically from the l0 Number Name Date upper end o! the outer portion and terminating 2,342,501 strauss Fe-b 22, 1944 in a hook facing said body and providing a seat 2,317,954 Deike, Jr Apr, 27, 1943 for a head band, and a head band within the body and ntting at its upper edge in the males of the FOREIGN PATENTS spring clips and provided between the upper and 15 Number Country Date lower edges with a plurality of slots receiving said 435.766 Great Britain Sept. 2'7. 1935 hooks. the latter snapping automatically into en- 

